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Hall of Fame talk is dominating the baseball world, as the class of 2011 will be announced on Wednesday afternoon. Much of the attention is being centered on Bert Blyleven and Roberto Alomar, two favorites to be headed to Cooperstown.

A year ago, Florida celebrated the induction of Andre Dawson, a special assistant in the organization. As a player, Hawk retired as a Marlin, but he built his Hall of Fame credentials with the Montreal Expos and Chicago Cubs.

Throughout their history, the Marlins have had plenty of talented players. A couple of former players who could be Cooperstown bound are Gary Sheffield and Miguel Cabrera.

On the Marlins’ current roster, the player with the best chance of being a Hall of Famer, of course, is Hanley Ramirez.

The 27-year-old shortstop has been one of the most dominant players in the game since he broke in as a rookie in 2006. In his first five big league seasons, Ramirez has already been the NL Rookie of the Year, an NL batting champion, a three-time All-Star starter, and a two-time Silver Slugger Award winner.

If his next five years track like his first five, Ramirez should be well on his way to building Hall of Fame numbers. Since 2006, he paces all MLB shortstops in home runs (124) and runs scored (562). His .313 career batting average is second only to Derek Jeter’s .314, and his .385 on-base percentage tops his position, as does his .521 slugging percentage.

Ramirez has 934 hits, which is second most among shortstops, and he’s stolen 196 bases. The only shortstop with more is Jose Reyes (239).

About to enter the prime of his career, the Marlins are wondering if the best is yet to come from Ramirez.

Thursday is a big day for Hanley Ramirez. The three-time All-Star is celebrating his 27th birthday, which for him is another reason to celebrate during the holiday season.

Already one of the top players in the game, the Marlins shortstop is also moving closer to reaching the prime of his career. If he keeps continuing at the pace he’s been at in his first five big league seasons, he will be well on his way to posting Hall of Fame credentials.

What Ramirez has done from ages 22 to 26 certainly is impressive, and you wonder just how much more he will accomplish.

He’s already been the NL Rookie of the Year, a Silver Slugger Award winner, a batting champion, an All-Star and a second-place finisher in the MVP voting.

Since 2006, his rookie year, he tops all players in the game in runs scored with 562, and he’s sixth overall in total hits (934).

Among shortstops, his 124 home runs are the most of any player at his position. And his .313 batting is second only to Derek Jeter’s .314 average in the same time frame.

Across the board, Ramirez’s overall numbers have made him the most impressive player — at least offensively — at his position since he broke in as a rookie. His on-base percentage (.385) ranks first among shortstops in the past five years. He is first in home runs with 124, and he paces his position in doubles with 198.

Ramirez’s 196 stolen bases are second most of any shortstop since his rookie season. Only Jose Reyes, with 239, has more.

In Marlins’ history, Ramirez will enter 2011 within striking distance of Dan Uggla’s franchise home run mark of 154. With 30, he will pull even.

Ramirez currently ranks fourth in Marlins’ history in hits, fifth in home runs, second in runs scored, second in doubles, and tied for first in career batting average. Ramirez and Miguel Cabrera each have a .313 average as Marlins.

By his own high standards, Ramirez is coming off a disappointing season, where he batted .300 with 21 homers and 76 RBIs.

Derek Jeter, the captain of the defending World Series champion Yankees, is regarded as the standard at his position. Based on his overall numbers and five rings, it is easy to see why.

Still, when discussing the best shortstops in the game, don’t discount Florida’s Hanley Ramirez. The 26-year-old is the defending N.L. batting champion, coming off a .342 season. He’s won two straight Silver Slugger Awards. Manager Fredi Gonzalez quipped to Ramirez, “I was telling him, hey, ‘We’ve got enough silver, we’ve got to get gold this year.” Ramirez hopes to reach Gold Glove status in the field. He committed 10 errors in 2009 after racking up 22 in ’08.

Across the board, Ramirez stands above the rest at his position. He has speed, power, hits for average and he is one of the best baserunners in the game.

If scoring runs and stealing bases are qualifications for being a great base runner, then Hanley (nicknamed H2R) stands alone.

According to Elias, since 2006, Hanley’s rookie season, the Marlins shortstop is the only player in baseball to rank in the top five in runs scored and stolen bases.

“I don’t think there is anything he can’t do on a baseball field,” Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez says of his two-time All-Star shortstop. “He’s got good instincts on the bases. The speed is still there. He goes from first-to-home. That’s when I like to see him run, when he goes first-to-third, or first-to-home on a double. That’s when you see his athleticism.”

The days of Ramirez stealing 50 bases may be over, because he is batting third now.

“You don’t want to beat up that body too much,” Gonzalez said. “But I think he’s a guy who can still run you 30. It’s when you steal them. I’ve seen guys with 50, stealing third with two outs, swiping a base that is really meaningless.”

Since his rookie season, Hanley’s numbers certainly hold up when next to Jeter.

Facing the Phillies has provided Chris Coghlan with the opportunity to see first-hand one of his most admired players — Chase Utley.

“I don’t know him at all, but I really respect the guy for the way he plays the game and the level that he plays it at,” Coghlan said.

Coghlan, 23, was a second baseman and third baseman in the Minor Leagues before he was called up in early May to play left field.

Coghlan, like Utley, hits left-handed. And Coghlan hopes to be talked about as someone people respect for the intensity level in which he plays the game.

“I always think of Utley as a great player. He can do everything,” Coghlan said. “Steals. Plays good defense. Obviously, his offense out-shines everything else. But I just respect him, and I just call him a gamer.

“If anyone ever says that about me, it’s the ultimate compliment.”

Coghlan puts Utley in the class of Yankees great Derek Jeter.

“Jeter is still the same way, and people say the same thing about him,” Coghlan said. “He still is a great player and a winner. Utley, in the last four years, people are starting to talk about him that way. I think that’s the ultimate compliment.”

Looking at the television on Sunday morning, Jorge Cantu was mildly suprised to see himself in an ESPN commercial.

Cantu was one of four players used to advertise the upcoming World Baseball Classic, which begins in March.

In January, the Marlins third baseman received a call to participate in the commercial. Cantu is representing Mexico in the Classic, and he was dressed in his country’s uniform. Derek Jeter also was showcased to represent Team USA. Alex Rodriguez is in it for the Dominican Republic and Ichiro Suzuki is on hand for Japan.

“I saw it for the first time today, I was so pumped,” Cantu said. “Wow, they did such a great job.”

To the skeptics, Cantu said the Classic is worth watching.

“People have to watch it. It’s like a playoff game,” he said. “It’s all or nothing for every country. It’s just a lot of pride for me. Obviously, in Mexico, soccer is the national sport. But in Mexico we have a lot of baseball talent. It’s a chance to show the rest of the country the talent we have in baseball.”

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